Disclaimer: I don't own Sky High.
Summary: The simplest of events can change a person deeply. Other not-so-simple events can change a person irrevocably; even if they become someone they had never imagined. These are the events that lead to the creation of Poison and Fire, and their reign of Chaos.
Warning: Just a quick reminder that this is rated M for a reason. There will be graphic scenes later on, of both torture and a sexual nature, and quite a lot of the chapters involve swearing. Please do not read if you're not comfortable with these things. I will put a warning for torture scenes.
Read on, oh faithful ones...
...
Chapter Seven
...
"Layla? What are you doing here?" Will asked, his eyes wide and his expression confused when he saw her sitting in the Hero's class the next morning.
As he'd been stuck in Nurse Spex's office all afternoon as she pulled the individual thorns from his arms, legs, and shoulders, Will had missed out on seeing Layla changing to the Hero track. Although, he was sure that he would have rather experienced that uncomfortableness as opposed to what had awaited him at home.
After being called by Principal Powers to come pick Will up, Josie had been beside herself with worry as she'd flown up to the school. On seeing the few holes in her son's body, she was immediately reassured, but promised Nurse Spex that she'd look after Will so he wouldn't be in pain. Josie had participated in Save the Citizen herself and had experienced worse since then, and doubted that the tiny holes were much to worry over. Steve had been more disappointed about Will losing the champion's title for the game, and had talked about strategies over dinner until Will had offered to do the dishes just to escape his father's monologuing.
"I changed over to the Hero track yesterday," Layla replied, wondering why he was asking such an obvious question.
Why else would she be in the same class as him and sitting down? She'd had the same timetable for the past two years, it was highly unlikely for her to make a mistake now.
There was a moment of awkward silence, but Layla would be lying if she said that she didn't enjoy watching Will squirm.
"Mr. Stronghold, while you may be disillusioned about this fact, it is in fact true that the world does not revolve around you. Class has already started, now sit down," Mr. Medulla said, glaring at him.
Will hurried to sit on his usual seat by the window, careful not to step on Mr. Medulla's foot this time. Layla was sitting near the front door next to Larry, who looked extremely pleased about being beside her.
For most of the lesson, Layla could feel Will's gaze boring into her, but she ignored him and concentrated on what Mr. Medulla was teaching. They were learning about different corrosive acids. Apparently they would be tested about them next week, and Layla had no desire to fail her very first Hero test.
Mr. Medulla chastised Will another two times before he finally looked away from Layla and concentrated on the class.
"So, Layla," Larry said as they walked to the next class. "A bunch of us are doing a study group at my house tonight. Did you want to join us?"
She smiled briefly, surprised that she'd been asked. "Sorry, Larry, but I've already got a study group with Zach, Ethan, and Warren."
"Two sidekicks? Will they really understand all the Hero work we have to learn?"
Her smile slipped, and Layla frowned at him. "I'm sure they will. Just because they're sidekicks it doesn't mean that they're stupid."
Larry seemed to realise that up until yesterday, Layla had been classed as a sidekick as well, and with that realisation came the thought that he'd not only insulted her, but also blown any chance he had of ever getting a date with her. "Sorry, Layla."
She nodded briefly, and they walked in silence to the next classroom. Larry still felt ashamed by the time they reached English for Heroes, but was pleasantly surprised when Layla still sat next to him.
Well, at least he hadn't ruined their friendship, Larry thought to himself. Besides, he preferred blondes, and Freeze Girl was single again.
...
"Hey, hippie. Not braving the cafeteria today?" Warren asked as he sat beside her.
"Not up to it," she said, shaking her head.
"Heard you got an interview with the Mayor, congratulations," he said with a grin.
"Thanks. I was going to ring you to say thank you, but I got caught up talking to Zach and I forgot. So, thank you," Layla said, smiling at him.
Warren's heart did not just skip a beat. Not at all. His heart didn't do stupid things like that.
"You're welcome. How is the glow stick?"
"He doesn't sound the best. He invited me over for a study group with him and Ethan tonight. Do you want to come?"
Warren was silent for a moment, thinking over his work schedule, and the distance from Zach's house to the Paper Lantern. "Sure, I can only stay for two hours at the most though. I'm working tonight."
Layla nodded in understanding. "I don't think they'll mind. Zach said something about you being his bro and his house was badass. I got confused with all of the abbreviations and words ending with izzle," she admitted, frowning.
"Great, can't wait," he muttered sarcastically.
They were silent as they ate their food, and Warren read his book as Layla played with the grass behind them.
"I haven't been to the Paper Lantern since my mother died," Layla realised with a slight frown.
Looking up from his book, Warren saw the tears in her eyes. She gave him a watery smile, turning back to the blades of grass and killing them until there were big circles of brown grass scattered among the green. He frowned, not liking to see her so sad and lost.
"Why don't you come tonight? I'll cook vegetables and rice for you," he said, grinning slightly.
"With black bean sauce?"
"With black bean sauce," he agreed. "If you're lucky, I might even throw in a fortune cookie for dessert."
"Okay, but only if you read the fortune to me," Layla replied, smiling briefly.
"You read mine and we've got a deal, hippie."
She nodded quickly, holding out her hand for him to shake. Warren hesitated for a brief moment; he hadn't actually touched her since their accidental kiss the day before (which they still hadn't discussed, acting as if it hadn't even happened). He shook to seal their deal, enjoying the warmth of her hand in his. Warren let his fingers linger as he pulled away, but Layla squeezed his hand gently, threading their fingers together. His hand fired up, a gentle flame that he didn't let burn her. She smiled, a vine wrapping around their joined hands and bursting into bloom.
...
"Hey, Zach. How are you?" Layla asked when he opened the door.
"Been better," he replied with a brief shrug. "Hey, Warren. Glad you could make it," he said, smiling for a brief moment.
Warren just nodded, following Layla inside. He told himself that he wouldn't stare at Zach, who was dressed in a grey shirt and track pants rather his normal neon coloured clothes. As with Layla's deviation from green, it was a shock to see him in anything that wasn't white, yellow or bright green.
"Oh, hey Layla. Hi Warren," Ethan said with a smile as they came inside. "Zach and I were just watching your fight in Save the Citizen yesterday. It was really well played, even if you did leave some crucial openings."
"What openings?" Warren asked, frowning as he sat beside Ethan.
Ethan seemed both startled and pleased that Warren had given him the time of day, and hurried to rewind the video on the screen. He'd already transferred the video from his phone to his laptop and had hooked the laptop up to Zach's TV so they could see it without straining their eyes.
"Just start it from the beginning, and we'll watch the whole thing," Layla said, sitting on the lounge opposite them.
Zach offered everyone a drink, but when they declined, he sat beside Layla, keeping the bowl of popcorn in his lap. He hadn't watched both fights yet, and was looking forward to seeing the floor being wiped with his former friends.
The games were watched three times, one for fun (Zach had actually lit up when Will had been pierced by the vines, but blamed the lighting), once to study the openings they'd made ("see, Warren? Freeze Girl had a clear path right to Layla then, and she could have frozen her before you had time to stop it," Ethan said, grinning when Warren looked as if he was seriously contemplating what he'd said), and the final time to take notes on what they could have done differently. The latter took the most time, as they argued over the merits of having an entire plant-based shield as opposed to a fiery one, with Ethan and Zach putting in their own ways of how they could destroy them had they fought together. Warren grinned, accepting their challenge to fight in Save the Citizen once Zach was better and back at Sky High.
Zach's mother came in before they could continue talking, offering to bring them more snacks or drinks. Her offer was declined, and they hurried to actually do homework instead of watching the videos for a fourth time. Ethan sent the videos to Layla and Warren at their request, and then returned to his homework for English for Hero Support.
Layla was in the middle of discussing corrosive acids when Warren's alarm went off, reminding him that he had to go to work. In a matter of minutes, both Warren and Layla were ready to leave, planning to have another study group at Ethan's house on the weekend since Layla had her interview with the Mayor the next day.
Zach had hugged her, congratulating her, both of them ignoring Ethan's comment about it being a government job when she'd already expressed the desire to work outside, with animals, or plants. Layla said they'd discuss it more on the weekend, if she actually did get the job.
Jokingly, Zach had said that they'd egg the Mayor's car if he didn't give her the job, which Layla found worryingly endearing.
...
Warren arrived at the Paper Lantern with five minutes to spare before his shift started. Mrs. Woo recognised Layla and slyly told Warren that he should have brought her sooner, rather than the cold blonde girl he'd been with last year. He was glad she'd said it in Cantonese rather than English, and simply told her not to hassle Layla. Warren grabbed Layla's hand, quickly dragging her into the kitchen before Mrs. Woo could say anything else.
"That mean old woman is Mrs. Woo. Don't listen to anything she says, no matter what language it's in," he added with a brief glare over his shoulder.
"Okay," she said, wondering what the kind-looking lady had said to Warren to make his hands burn the way they were.
Warren realised that he'd burned her, and swore softly, turning on the nearby cold tap and putting her wrists beneath the cold water.
"I've just got to get my apron. Don't move from here, all right?"
In record time, Warren shrugged off his jacket, putting it in the staff area with his bag, tying the apron on and his hair up before returning to where Layla was waiting. She was drying her wrists tenderly, and started to apply a burn salve that she'd seen through the first aid box's clear lid.
"I'm fine, Warren. Don't look so worried; I've done worse to myself with poisonous plants," she reassured him with a slight grin. "Get to work; we'll talk later," Layla added, picking up her bag and heading to the far corner of the kitchen that looked unoccupied.
Warren sighed slightly, but Mrs. Woo called him, and he hurried to do his job before she decided to fire him.
Layla watched everything that happened in the kitchen that night instead of focusing on her homework. She was fascinated by the order that was maintained by different chefs, the words and friendly insults they traded with each other. Everyone looked so tense and worried, their results always being judged by the people eating them. Warren was in and out of the kitchen a lot, collecting empty plates and glasses from the diners, filling up water jugs, washing dirty dishes, and continuing the cycle all over again. Layla itched to do something to help, but doubted that her intrusion would be appreciated by anyone in the kitchen; they all had their own specific jobs to do and she would only get in the way. She did make the daisies on the tables stand up a little straighter though, just to make herself feel useful.
When the restaurant became quieter, Warren finally returned to the kitchen to cook dinner for himself and Layla. Mrs. Woo had gone home an hour ago, leaving the rest of the duties to those who were rostered on. Warren talked with Layla as he cooked, explaining corrosive acids and what he remembered about their properties. She took notes quickly, not allowing herself to be distracted by his arms any more than she already was.
By the time he finished cooking, the restaurant was completely empty, and most of the staff were folding napkins for the next night. Warren took Layla out to the seated section, sitting across from her and eating dinner together as if they'd actually come in to do only that. Layla wasn't entirely sure how, but she found that their conversation had turned to her mother.
"So there my mother was, trying to explain to Bruce the pig that the saying 'when pigs fly' didn't actually mean that he would be able to fly one day! He was very disappointed, but it was even worse when he asked what bacon was."
"How on earth did your mother explain that?" he asked with a slight frown, trying to imagine the conversation that would have led Bruce to understand that people eat his kind.
"She never did tell me what she said, but apparently Bruce was very offended that humans would eat pigs, who were the noblest of creatures."
"Of course..."
Layla laughed at his expression, reaching across the table to swipe his fortune cookie off the plate. He shook his head briefly, taking hers as well.
"You first, hippie," Warren said with a nod.
"I want you to be everything that's you, deep at the centre of your being," she read, frowning slightly. She turned the small piece of paper over. "Your lucky numbers are 18, 32, 5, 29, and 7," she said with a grin this time. "Your turn."
Warren took a small breath, reading the tiny words aloud. "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life... Your lucky numbers are 7, 29, 5, 32, and 18."
"Is it normal for the numbers to be the same?"
"Not usually," he replied with a frown.
"Maybe they really are lucky," she said, grinning.
"Yeah, right. I'll play them in the lotto and be a millionaire," Warren said, rolling his eyes. "Come on, hippie, let's get going. Did you tell your Great Aunt that you'd be out all night?"
Layla paled slightly, shaking her head.
"Why don't you go call her now, and let her know that you're only just leaving? I'll make sure you get to her house all right," he added.
"Oh, you don't have to do that. I can catch the bus on my own."
"My mother would probably kill me if she finds out that I let you go home alone. Don't argue, hippie. Just go call your Great Aunt, and when you're there, you can thank me, all right?"
Layla still didn't look too happy about it, but headed outside to do as he said. Her Great Aunt sounded appropriately relieved that she was okay, and it took Layla a few minutes to convince her not to drive down into town to pick her up, since Warren would be with her, and she'd be safe. Warren washed their dishes, grabbed his jacket and bag, leaving after hanging up his apron. Layla had only just hung up from her phone call when he stepped outside, zipping up his jacket.
"Everything all right?"
She nodded with a smile. "Perfect. The next bus leaves the depot in about ten minutes, so we've got about five to get to the next stop."
Warren nodded in response, heading down the street with Layla by his side. They were both silent as they walked, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Overhead, the street lamp blinked uncertainly in the dark night. Layla looked around, frowning slightly when she saw a large sign hanging precariously on a fence across the street.
"Where are you going? The bus'll be here in a minute," Warren called when she hurried across the road. Swearing softly, he hurried after her, keeping an eye out for the bus. "What's wrong?"
"It's for sale," Layla said, nodding at the old wooden house on one of the few remaining half acre plots left in Maxville.
"Yeah, it's been for sale for ages. I think it's one of the few houses that the Stronghold's can't sell."
"Why hasn't anyone bought it?"
"Oh, the whole thing's rotted through, and no one really wants to spend the time fixing up an entire half-acre of land. Most people in Maxville would prefer to be in debt for a much more modern house than that one... Bus is coming. Quick," Warren said, taking her hand and running across the road before the bus could drive past.
The bus pulled over, the driver telling himself that it had been a trick of the light that made him imagine that the young man's hand was on fire.
After paying for their bus tickets and taking their seats on the almost-empty bus, Layla looked out at the ruined house until it was out of sight.
"Why are you so interested in that house?" Warren asked with a slight frown.
"I was thinking that it'd be nice to plant an entire forest in there. There aren't many trees left in Maxville," she replied hesitantly.
Warren put his arm around her waist, pulling Layla closer to his body. He turned his head so that it looked like he was kissing her neck, but he didn't kiss her.
"Liar," he whispered, his lips brushing against her skin lightly.
Her cheeks were flushed, but she returned the favour, her lips barely touching his neck as she whispered her answer. "Secret sanctum."
He raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly, and a slow grin began to form on his lips. It would definitely be big enough to have a training area, and if a forest was planted at the front of the lot, then it would hide anything that was built behind the trees.
Searching through her bag, Layla pulled out her notebook, turning to the back empty pages. She drew a rough square, labelling the road at the bottom, and drawing symbols for trees around the edge of the block, leaving an empty square in the middle. Passing the pen and book to Warren, she grinned slightly, as if challenging him to add to it.
He took the offered book and pen, sketching a basic training area (fireproof, of course) towards the back of the available space. A room for the security cameras that they'd have installed on the property, which could also serve as the room to watch their fights and training, so they could work out any openings. Warren handed the book back, raising his eyebrows slightly as a way of asking her opinion.
She grinned and nodded, seeming to like his ideas. Layla looked at the available space, frowning slightly before another grin formed and she added to more of this imaginary sanctum.
"A meditation room, really?" Warren asked quietly in disbelief.
"It's very important to relieve stress," Layla replied, sounding more serious than he'd expected her to. "What are your thoughts on a trophy room?" she asked, tapping the pen against her chin.
"Too narcissistic. And leads to things like Homecoming last year," he pointed out, his eyes flicking to the other few people on the bus. "We should have an incinerator instead."
"And a library. But not next to the incinerator," Layla muttered.
"Why would we need a library? The tech room's already there."
"Sophistication. And by having a large library, we can shelve books that we don't want to be noticed; you know, the hiding things in plain sight thing."
"Okay. But only if the library has a fireplace."
"It can have a fireplace if the meditation room can have a waterfall. Or a fish tank," Layla said, undecided as to which would be best.
"If you can choose only one of those, then we've got a deal, hippie."
"Waterfall. Don't want the fish to be accidentally boiled," she said with a slight grin, glancing at his hands.
The bus stopped, and Layla hurried to shove her notebook in her bag, getting out with Warren behind her.
"You really think I'd boil the fish?" Warren asked as they walked up the road.
"Maybe. You want to have an incinerator in a place that's surrounded by trees."
"I could control the incinerator if it came down to that."
"Oh, please, you couldn't even light a match after playing two Save the Citizen games yesterday! What if you get back after using your power for most of the day to find that the incinerator's started a fire? You wouldn't be able to control it at all!"
Warren was silent for a moment, frowning. "Well, you couldn't even make a seed open yesterday either."
"That's why I want a place to practice. Really need to get better stamina... The longest fight was between the Commander and the Incredible Genius. It lasted six hours, and it was the last fight that the Commander had with All American Boy as his sidekick. Kind of rude, really. The guy had just saved the Commander's life, and then he just kicked him to the kerb without so much as a thank you bonus."
Warren shook his head briefly. "The bad guys always have the worst names. You think for people who pride themselves on being smarter than heroes, they'd at least have names that wouldn't make them sound like they were still in primary school."
Layla nodded in agreement, staying silent as they walked up the driveway to her Great Aunt's house.
"Thanks for seeing me back, Warren, I appreciate it. And thank you for dinner as well. I'll let your mother know that you were a perfect gentleman," she added with a grin.
"You might want to wait until after I've left before you tell her, or she'll think I'm forcing you to say that," Warren replied, grinning back at her.
"Deal," she said.
There was movement behind Layla, and she frowned slightly as Warren's grin faded.
"I'd better go. Doesn't feel overly welcoming at the moment," he muttered. "See you tomorrow, hippie."
"See you tomorrow. Text me when you get home, okay? I'll worry otherwise... Plus, I can let your mum know how well behaved you were then," Layla said, attempting a grin even as he started walking down the driveway.
"Sure thing. I think I can get home safely," Warren added, clicking his fingers so small flames appeared. He clenched his hands, the two flames disappearing instantly. "Take care of yourself," he called quietly, heading down the road and back to the bus stop.
Layla turned to face the front door, her eyes narrowing when she heard her Great Aunt moving around. She opened the door, stepping inside and closing it behind her. Stepping into the lounge room, the room closest to the entrance, Layla was not at all surprised to see her Great Aunt sitting on an armchair, attempting to read a book that was upside down.
"Hello Layla, how was your day?" her Great Aunt asked, her smile forced and her tone excessively polite.
"Fine. Yours?"
There was a moment of hesitation before she answered. "I was worried about you this afternoon when you didn't come home and I didn't hear from you."
Layla tried not to scoff in disbelief. The first text she'd had from her Great Aunt was at 6.30pm, three hours after school had finished and almost two and a half hours after she was supposed to have been inside the house.
"I don't like you hanging around with that boy either. He doesn't seem good for you."
Now all Layla could do was stare. Warren was her friend - one of the very few left, and probably her best friend by all counts - and her Great Aunt, who had met Warren once at her mother's funeral, had the gall to say that about him?
"What about that nice boy, Will, who came over a few days ago, looking for you?" she asked, placing her book down and looking at Layla over the top of her glasses. "I thought you were dating him? Will seemed much nicer than the boy out there... Why are you leaving him to be with the likes of that boy?"
"That nice boy cheated on me with my best friend, so he's sure as hell not winning Boyfriend of the Year! And as for Warren, he is the only one who isn't treating me like I'm made of glass! He's treating me like an actual person, which is more than you can say!" Layla said, her voice raising to a shout. "You never even talked to Mum and I before her death, and now you're trying to make up for it because you feel guilty. Admit it, all you want to do is make yourself feel better! You're just acting as though you've only got my best interests at heart!"
SLAP.
Layla held her hand to her burning cheek, and simply stared at her Great Aunt. The silence was deafening, and for a long moment, all she could do was continue to stare at the woman standing across from her.
"I'm sor..."
Not allowing her to finish her insincere apology, one that would only serve to make her Great Aunt feel better, Layla turned around and went down to the room she slept in.
As the door closed behind her, a tree immediately started to grow. It uprooted itself from the floorboards, growing up to the ceiling and branching out across the room, a few of the thicker branches knocking her boxes over.
The tape had become useless over the past few weeks, and Layla's belongings fell out onto the floor. A blanket, her mother's favourite jumper, photographs, books, pieces of jewellery all scattered around, priceless items encased in painful memories.
Sitting against the tree, Layla brought her knees to her chest and began to sort through the items with tears in her eyes.
What felt like hours later, Layla's phone began to vibrate in her pocket, startling her out of her half-awake, half-asleep state. She replied to the text message from Warren, not telling him what had happened yet, deciding to do it in the morning, face to face. Keeping her promise, she quickly text Ms. Peace letting her know that Warren had been very gentlemanly all night and had even escorted her home, which was the reason he was late home himself. There was a reply of surprise from Ms. Peace, along with a message to go to sleep to be refreshed for school the next day.
Smiling to herself briefly, Layla pulled on her mother's jumper, wrapped the blanket around her body and fell asleep against the tree she'd created.
...
End of the seventh chapter.
Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it!
